Anti-Terrorism Force

Last updated
Anti-Terrorism Force [1]
Kawa Makafah al-Arhab [2]
LeadersSamer Hakim [3]
Dates of operationJuly 2021 [4] –June 2022 [3]
approx. July 2025 [5] –August 2025 [6]
Merged into National Guard
CountrySyria
Active regions Suwayda Governorate [7]
Allies Revolutionary Commando Army
Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve [8]
Opponents National Defence Forces [9]
Hezbollah
Syrian Arab Army
Druze fighters
Bedouin fighters [8]
Raji Falhout group [10]
Battles and wars

The Anti-Terrorism Force was a Druze militia that was affiliated with the Syrian Brigade Party. It merged into the Druze-led National Guard in August 2025.

Activities

The organization was established by the Syrian Brigade Party. [11]

Members of the group met with the Security Committee in Suwayda in August 2021, which threatened to bomb their headquarters. [12]

There were clashes between the Raji Falhout group and other groups, following the seizure of a seller and a university student in September 2021, in an attempt by the Raji Falhout group to force the release of a member of Military Intelligence who had been taken by the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF). [8] A member of the Falhout group was captured by the ATF and his confession was aired on Facebook. [10]

The group clashed with members of the National Defence Forces in September 2021. [4]

The armed group had seized Jawdat Hamza, who was reportedly involved in drug trafficking, and delivered him to the US military stationed at the Al-Tanf base. [8]

Around 40 members of the group were attacked by over 500 members of various Assad regime-aligned militias, including Hezbollah, as well as Druze and Bedouin fighters [8] on 8 June 2022. [3] Marei al-Ramthan, a regime-affiliated smuggler, was also involved in the attack on the ATF, alongside his militia. [13] Some members of the ATF unsuccessfully attempted to reach the American Al-Tanf base, and were ambushed. [8] The groups leader, Samer Hakim, was besieged in the village of Imtan, where he "refused to surrender" and shot himself. [14]

The seizure of Hakim's body from the As-Suwayda National Hospital by militia members affiliated with Zaafar Jaafar, the father of known drug trafficker Ahmed Jaafar, both of whom had ties with Hezbollah, was confirmed by hospital staff and a member of the Druze political party. [8]

The group is active again as of July 2025 and has cut ties with the al-Sharaa government following a speech by Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri criticizing the government. It reportedly includes "Dir’ al-Tawhid, Forces of Al-Ulya, Sheikh al-Karama, Saraya al-Jabal, and Jaysh al-Muwahideen." [5] In August 2025, the group merged into the Druze-led National Guard. [6]

References

  1. Khaled al-Jeratli (18 August 2021). "Would rising tension in As-Suwayda lead to autonomy?". Enab Baladi . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  2. "Druze Protests in Al-Sweida: "Do not interfere with our lives, and we will not rise up against you," and how is this linked to Hezbollah?". Alma Research and Education Center. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Walid Al Nofal (15 June 2022). "In Suwayda, 'organized gangs' serve as an arm of Damascus and violence threatens to ignite interfamilial conflicts". Syria Direct . Translated by Mateo Nelson. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Who Is Behind Funding the 'Counter-Terrorism Forces' in Suwayda, Syria?". Alestiklal. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  5. 1 2 al-Kanj, Sultan (19 July 2025). "Sweida's Druze, Bedouin Tribes Locked in Historic Grievances". Asharq Al-Awsat. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Sweida announces formation of unified national army under name "National Guard"". Hawar News Agency. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  7. Mohamed Hardan (18 July 2021). "New Druze political party, military faction take shape in Suwayda". Al Monitor . Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ali Eid; Khaled al-Jeratli; Hassan Ibrahim (5 July 2022). ""Wait for the next": Iran warns As-Suwayda residents as 'next' can exceed reprisals". Enab Baladi . Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  9. Ali Darwish; Khaled Jar'atli; Hussam al-Mahmoud; Rayan al-Atrash (3 October 2021). "Multiple conflicting forces on the ground portend possible clash in Syria's As-Suwayda". Enab Baladi . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  10. 1 2 Ali Eid; Khaled al-Jeratli; Hassan Ibrahim (7 October 2021). "Rise in kidnappings sparks fear among people of As-Suwayda". Enab Baladi . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  11. Yaman Zabad (27 March 2025). "As-sweida After Assad's Fall: Understanding Political Demands and the Dynamics of Military Power". Harmoon Center for Contemporary Studies. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  12. "Syrian regime threatens to bomb predominately Druze As-Suwayda Governorate if its forces are not given control over holdout neighborhoods". Syriac Press. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  13. Karam Mansour (26 March 2024). "How Suwayda became a drug-smuggling hub". Syria Direct . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  14. "Commander of "Anti-terrorist Force" Killed in Suweida". Al-Souria Net. The Syrian Observer. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2025.